Stephen Malone
- Deadly Premonition
- Persona 4 Golden
- XCOM: Enemy Unknown
Cyberpunk 2077 is a great timewaster filled with plenty of opportunities for dumb fun that come from the clever implementation of future tech into its combat. Unfortunately, it fails to deliver on the clear ambition in its writing, mostly due to the clutter that drowns out its few moments of true inspiration.
While it may struggle to hold a solo player's interest, Phogs! is a fantastically delightful and easygoing co-operative experience.
Five Dates is a clever dating sim that does a lot of things right to stand out from the crowd, but unfortunately ends early enough that it can't leave much of a lasting impression.
Paradise Killer may not be for everybody, but by focusing so singularly on one niche aspect of games, it makes detective work more engaging and memorable than any other game of its kind.
Deadly Premonition 2 is a competent sequel that comes close to reaching the heights of the original, but falls short due to sloppy gameplay, technical issues and an unwillingness to stray too far from its comfort zone.
Battle for Bikini Bottom isn’t an exemplary 3D platformer in and of itself, but it’s above average for licensed games and its clear passion for the SpongeBob property sets it apart. The Rehydrated remaster is a wonderfully accurate port that makes it accessible for old and new fans alike.
The Dread X Collection is unique and worthwhile, offering ten different indie horror games. Your mileage may vary with each one, but you're likely to fall in love with at least one of the games here, and it may even lead you to finding a favourite new indie developer to keep an eye on.
Everything Persona 5 Royal adds is a boon to the experience but, unfortunately, it’s not enough to fix the deeply-embedded issues at the heart of the original game.
If you’re looking for a John Wick game, John Wick Hex probably won’t satisfy you. However, if you’re happy with a tight, smart turn-based strategy game whose main character happens to look a lot like John Wick, this is exactly what you’re looking for.
XCOM: Chimera Squad is a great spinoff of Firaxis’ modern XCOM series, bringing with it enough changes to stand on its own. Unfortunately, the simplification of the formula may turn away series veterans and doesn’t give it the same lasting appeal as the other games in the series.